How FG spent ₦30.64 trillion on wages, debt, infrastructure in 31 months – Minister

Ghana's Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has called for immediate attention to the country's basic education and foundational learning, as infrastructure and learning gaps continue to hinder educational achievements. Speaking at a Ghana and Regional Foundational Learning Evidence and Implementation Support Day, Iddrisu emphasized the need to prioritize literacy, numeracy, and other essential skills before expanding access to higher education levels.

According to an Auditor-General's report, approximately 10,700 public basic schools in 13 regions lack classrooms, affecting over three million pupils. Iddrisu stated, "About 10,700 public basic schools in 13 regions with total enrolment of over 10 million are without classrooms." He reiterated that any responsible government must address this urgent issue and prioritize foundational learning and basic education.

The scale of the infrastructure deficit highlights Ghana's ongoing struggle to achieve the constitutional goal of universal basic education. Iddrisu questioned the focus on expanding free secondary education when many children have yet to fully benefit from basic education. He pointed out that the framers of the Constitution intended free, compulsory, universal basic education.

In response, the government plans to allocate about GH¢2.8 billion from the US$300 million STARR-J facility to infrastructure development in the education sector. This funding will support secondary education expansion, quality assurance measures, and textbook provision. The infrastructure projects will undergo a transparent, competitive, and lawful procurement process to ensure public funds are utilized effectively.